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FAA NPR Forthcoming???

S

stewartb

MEMBER
…
Baker invited Jack Pelton, EAA chairman and CEO, onto the stage. On Jan. 19, 2019, Pelton said, the FAA will publish a notice of proposed rulemaking that seeks to raise the weight limit for light sport aircraft from the current 1,320 pounds to 3,600 pounds. “That will allow you to fly in a 172, have four seats in the airplane, and fly 150 mph,” said Pelton, who also anticipates a rule change that would allow professional builders to construct experimental amateur-built aircraft.

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2018/october/07/big-news-from-aopa-carbondale-fly-in
 
I saw that yesterday and was sort of amazed. You mean they want to encourage flying?

I imagine the design screens in Yakima are warm and ready. I think it's good news over all, but the LSA market is in for another round of wildness.
 
stewartb said:
Baker invited Jack Pelton, EAA chairman and CEO, onto the stage. On Jan. 19, 2019, Pelton said, the FAA will publish a notice of proposed rulemaking that seeks to raise the weight limit for light sport aircraft from the current 1,320 pounds to 3,600 pounds. “That will allow you to fly in a 172, have four seats in the airplane, and fly 150 mph,” said Pelton, who also anticipates a rule change that would allow professional builders to construct experimental amateur-built aircraft.

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2018/october/07/big-news-from-aopa-carbondale-fly-in
Click to expand...

Is today April first? :???: I'd like to believe this, but I'm having a hard time.
But if it really is gonna happen, a 150mph cap is pretty limiting.
How many 3600# airplanes, even fixed gear ones, will only go 150 mph?
At 2550#, my 180 isn't that big, nor is it esp fast, but it goes more than 150.
Or is it gonna be a speed limit as opposed to a "max speed in level flight" thing like the current LSA regs.
IMHO maybe they should leave the LSA parameters alone,
and instead just change the sport pilot certificate privileges.
 
I think they should use the Basic Med limitations. When it was originally conceived it was supposed to be a driver's license thing but was dummied down by Congress.
 
Is 3600 for real on this since I have been hearing about 1600# proposals. And why would this get announced through AOPA from the head of EAA when there is nothing about this from EAA themselves.
Somehow I tend to doubt the allowed weight will be higher than, lets say a C182.
 
So a PA32 and many versions of the Beech Bonanza fit under a 3600# weight. Heck an early PA32-260 will barely bust out of the 150 speed, yes it has more seats available.
Some how these press releases just do not seem right. Granted they all are copies from some original source which I would not be surprised if it was not proofed before publishing.
 
This will interesting....I would assume it will allow those with Sport Pilots License to fly all qualifying LSAs up to 3600lbs....hmmm, do I dare assume. Interesting....I’m a Private Pilot with CFI-SP....I wonder how that rating will be affected. I did the rating one summer for something to do and to teach a few friends how to fly....I’ve done some tailwheel endorsements and float ratings as well. I can’t wait to see how this is all handled.
 
Thread in Backcountry Pilot mentions 1650# and drop 120K speed limit. Just the messenger.

My STC'd Taylorcraft can be 1280 or 1500# by choice. The Powers have finally realized that the pilot will load the plane as required. If more needed then it's safer to get more G/W and include some other GA aircraft on the approved LSA list.

Gary
 
This is a comment from a similar thread on another forum,

Also, there's speculation that the "3,600 pounds" may have been a botched metric conversion. 1650 kilograms is about 3600 pounds; if the original value was 1650 POUNDS, someone may have assumed kilograms and run the conversion to 3,600 pounds.
 
Eddie Foy said:
OK mr smarty. Who is behind this latest move?
Click to expand...
Well the new (I believe, first time ever) 5 year FAA funding bill (that didn’t include privitazation) did just happen to pass both houses and was signed into law just prior to this new NPR announcement...
 
This idea is not a new one, by the way. It was circulating about four years ago as a kind of background proposal. Same 3600-pound gross weight, but the idea was that it would allow manufacturers to use ASTM consensus standards—same as LSA—to design, build and certify new models, rather than the more restrictive FAR Part 23 which requires extensive test programs. You don’t need to be a bean counter to understand how this would reduce the cost of bringing new airplanes into the market, although how much is impossible to say.
Click to expand...

https://www.avweb.com/blogs/insider/LSA-Weight-Increase-Pop-the-Champagne-Cork-231643-1.html

 
Last edited:
The 1320lb restriction was good, it forced manufactures to carry out significant R. and D. in order to make things light and strong. As a result, it’s amazing the selection of nice STOL capable LSAs available.
Roddy
 
RoddyM said:
The 1320lb restriction was good, it forced manufactures to carry out significant R. and D. in order to make things light and strong. As a result, it’s amazing the selection of nice STOL capable LSAs available.
Roddy
Click to expand...

Except that one brand of those popular LSA Cubs can't be flown with the window and door open unless you want the window to get ripped off. ;) They did get pretty resourceful to save weight and figure out loopholes.
 
The potential for the 3600# change is nothing more than a curiosity to me. BasicMed satisfies my aeromedical wishes. I hope it’s about opening up design and development opportunities for new airplanes that are more useful than the 1320# variety. That would be very good for GA.
 
Steve Pierce said:
Except that one brand of those popular LSA Cubs can't be flown with the window and door open unless you want the window to get ripped off. ;) They did get pretty resourceful to save weight and figure out loopholes.
Click to expand...
Which loopholes? No matter, the 1320 gave us some light STOL planes.
I can niether afford a 180 or similar, nor can I move one around in the snow and grass by myself.
Nor will they go into places I want to go. If this goes into effect, yes, good for GA., but, bye bye light wt. hello big and heavy.
Roddy
 
Media statement reported by Dan Johnson - "Another industry expert said, “I hate being caught flat-footed like this.” He remembered clearly what happened with the early announcement of medical changes."

If this person was an "industry expert", then they would have known about this rumor last year. Randy at Rans aircraft did, and designed the S21 around the fact that the gross weight for LSA is expected to go up, or even abolished. Steve Pierce heard it at Oshkosh. I think Dan Johnson is vested heavily into LSA's and is trying not to make that category become insignificant.

pb
 
Either way why doesn't the government just give Cub crafters engraving plates and let them print their own money.
 
My former PA-11 went from relative obscurity pre-LSA, to expensive and desirable, and now back somewhat post Basic Med. It might be time to gather a fleet of small Cessnas and Pipers just in case that supply and demand scenario repeats. In the meantime current LSA manufacturers may see a downturn in production as potential owners consider their future options.

Gary
 
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